Back in the day I had an opportunity to ski Alta with a buddy and missed out on the trip. I’ve always regretted not going. At lunch we’d check out the latest edition of Ski Magazine and dreamed of making perfect ‘S’ turns in the virgin powder that was waist deep at Alta. It all looked so perfect on those glossy pages and it was! Alta is the Holy Grail for anyone who loves to ski. We were lucky to get fresh snow each morning on our recent trip. The conditions were great. It’s shaping up to be another great season at Alta.

Dreaming of Deep Snow

It’s All About Skiing
The locals all tell the same story, “I came here for one season and it’s my 15th year now.” Another mountain girl told us it’s her 35th at Alta. Somehow these lucky ones have figured it out. It seems that their souls have gravitated to this high place and they’ve found a balance. It all started with the same dream to come and ski Alta. Maybe you too can make it happen. You never know. Do you?

Happy Birthday Alta
Alta is the oldest family run Lift Company in the U.S. and is celebrating its 75th anniversary. Tradition is important to the culture here and change evidently comes slowly. Snow boarders are still not able to swoosh down the slopes in order to protect the powder. We like that Alta is a good steward of past traditions. They seem to have a pretty good thing going on here. It just feels right. Happy birthday Alta.

The Greatest Snow on Earth
So what makes this place so great? The snow has been scientifically proven to be the driest in North America and they get more than 750 inches of it annually. It’s been coined ‘The greatest snow on earth’. Its snows so much at times that you may experience a condition known as 'Interlodge'. When the snow barriers are lowered you’ll know it’s your lucky day! Everyone is required to retreat to one of the five lodges for protection while the snow can be managed. The best part of this situation is you're safe and nobody else can come up the mountain. You’ll be able to ski all the powder you want when the coast is clear and the snow barriers are still down. It’s now your very own private mountain. It’s called a ‘Country Club' day at Alta. How cool is that?

The Greatest Snow on Earth

Something For Everyone
Alta has great terrain for beginners and hardcore skiers alike. It’s a blast to be a kid and learn on the gentle green runs with mom and dad. Daredevils can hike up to ridges on the mountain and descend the chutes that are sloped at 45 degrees too. We rode the Supreme chair to the summit at 10,595’ and traversed the short distance over to Catherine’s area and dropped off into a tree lined powdery chute. It was like floating in the clouds. Peaceful. Exhilarating. Fun. There’s nothing like this back east that’s for sure!

Alta Has Great Terrain for Families Too

Good Service - Good Prices
The lift tickets are reasonably priced at $75.00 per day for adults and $40.00 for a children. The mountain is run as a Lift Company and not a publicly traded Real Estate Development entity. This enables Alta to focus on providing the best on-mountain experience for skiers. If you’re going to stay awhile and want more terrain to ski you can pay a little extra and get upgraded to a combined Alta -- Snowbird lift ticket. Please ask for the ‘One Ticket’ to get upgraded to this service. All together both resorts provide 26 lifts and over 4,000 acres of terrain. If you’d like to save some cash then ski the Sugarloaf chair lift and ride a loop between the two ski areas for free on the complimentary shuttle bus. We didn’t try that but it sure sounds like fun.

Gourmet Dining at Collins Grill
One of our pet peeves is eating cafeteria food on the mountain. It was a delight to discover the Collins Grill, which is located mid-mountain in the spectacularly designed Watson Shelter. The restaurant is located on the third floor and severs up the art of slow food. This is similar to the ‘farm-to-table’ movement, which supports local suppliers and growers. We sampled some great dishes at lunch that included:

Daily Savory Tart - This is a French style “big” pie cut in eighths, made with cream, Clifford Farm eggs, and a thin savory pastry. The flavor changes daily. Yum!

Grilled Salmon Slider - Grilled salmon on house made sourdough baguette with sliced tomato, bacon, capers and a mornay sauce.

Stuart’s Heart of Darkness Cupcake - Named after a customer from California this chocolate truffle is filled individual soufflé cakes. It was as decadent as it sounds. Delicious.

Watson Shelter • Collins Grill

Grilled Salmon Slider

Daily Savory Tart

Stewart's Heart of Darkness Cupcake

Alta Lodging
When you’re staying at Alta it’s still a family affair regarding lodging. All of the five lodges are family owned and operated and provide comfortable accommodations and excellent service. We recently stayed at Alta’s Rustler Lodge. Please check out the feature review on the main section of our site. If you’re looking for an active nightlife scene then Alta may not be the best place to plan your next ski vacation. If you’re looking to ski your tail off on the greatest snow on earth then you’ve arrived at the perfect place!

Alta's Rustler Lodge

Getting There
Alta is located in the Wasatch Mountains at the top of Little Cottonwood Canyon. It’s approximately 45 minutes east of Salt Lake City international airport. What we like best about it's location is that you can be on the slopes by 1:00 p.m.. if you take an early morning non-stop flight from JFK International Airport in New York.

Ski 'N See: Ski rentals were provided by Ski 'N See. They have 12 convenient rental & retail locations within minutes of all the major Ski Resorts in Utah. If you are unfamiliar with the area please visit their Rental Rates page to find a recommendation for which location you should reserve your ski & snowboard equipment. If you have any questions concerning our locations please call their Customer Service Hotline: 1-800-722-3685.

Rudy's Executive Transportation Services: Transportation Services for this trip from the New York Tri-Sate area were provided by Rudy's Executive Transportation. Their uniformed chauffeurs are courteous and committed to responding to customers' every transportation need. Since all Rudy's chauffeurs live throughout the Connecticut/Westchester area, they are conveniently located within minutes of your home or office. They are also completely familiar with all locations and routes within the tri-state area to get you there on time, every time. For reservations please call 800-241-RUDY.

famtripper fun fact

Notre-Dame DoorwaysDon't be shy get right up close to the three doorways that are covered in sculpted various angels and saints. Before you enter try and find the bronze star set into the parivs outside. It’s a fun thing to do. This is the spot where all distances in Paris to other towns throughout France are measured.